Funeral Thursday for El Paso boot seller Tony Lama Jr.

A funeral for Tony Lama Jr., who ran the iconic Tony Lama boot company for years, will be held Thursday.

Lama, 81, died Saturday in his West Side home after a lengthy illness.

He was the son of Tony Lama Sr., who founded the El Paso boot company, which was sold in 1990 to a Fort Worth company.

Lama Jr. played football in high school and college, and "I think he wanted to be a coach," reported Melissa Lama, one of his daughters.

But after he received a degree in business and physical education from Texas Western College (now UTEP) in 1954, his father wanted him to go into the family boot business, she said.

"I think even before his father died (in 1974), they (Lama family) kind of looked to my dad because he had a (strong) personality," Melissa Lama said. "He was a very charming, gracious man," and a good businessman.

Lama Jr. was chief executive officer and president of the Tony Lama Co. through much of the 1970s and the 1980s, and he also served several years as the company board chairman.

He was instrumental in getting the Tony Lama boot brand known nationally and worldwide, Melissa Lama remembered.

Advertisement

In 1990, the Tony Lama Co. was sold to Justin Brands, which still makes Tony Lama boots at its East El Paso factory.

Lama Jr. retired when the company was sold, but he remained active in civic and charitable organizations. He also was an avid golfer, and a big UTEP basketball fan, Melissa Lama reported.

"It's the end of an era," she said. "He was the last of his family (of three brothers and three sisters) to die."

He's survived by his wife, Patricia Lama, his three children -- Melissa Lama of Albuquerque, Catharine Hyatt of Tucson, and Steven Lama of El Paso -- and four grandchildren.

His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at St. Matthew Catholic Church, 400 W. Sunset in the Upper Valley.

Vic Kolenc may be reached at vkolenc@elpasotimes.com; 546-6421. Follow him on Twitter @vickolenc